The
greatest weakness of my Christian Life has been my failure in soul winning.
I
wonder how many souls I have allowed to slip through my fingers and plunge
into a Christless hell. Tonight I want to preach on the terrible tragedy of
letting sinners go to Hell.
I
am against professional soul winning, but I want to go on record that I am
not against soul winning. There has been so much disagreement with what has
been called easy-believisn that we have just about completely quit trying to
win sinners to Christ.
the
Word of God says in Proverbs 11:30 "The fruit of the righteous is a
tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." And again
in Daniel 12:3, " and they that be wise shall shine as the
brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the
stars for ever and ever."
Tonight
I want us to look at Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch and learn some lessons
on Soul winning.
I.
A MAN.... The sinner
V27
Notice
three things about this man.
A.
His Position, the Queen's Treasurer, V 27
Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
B.
His Tradition.....
1.
He went to church V 27-28
Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
Acts 8:28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
2. He was reading the Scriptures, V 28
Acts 8:28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
C.
His Condition.....V 29-31, religious but lost
II.
SOME MAN, The
Soul-winner.......V
31
Notice
first of all the kind of man God uses to bring sinners to Christ.
1.
Philip was a Spritual man.
Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
2.
Philip
was a Scriptural man.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
3.
Philip was a Serving man.
Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Acts 8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
Acts 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
Acts 8:8 And there was great joy in that city.
4.
Philip was a Sensitive man.
Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
5.
Philip was a successful man.
Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
Acts 8:28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
Acts 8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
Acts 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
Acts 8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
Acts 8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Three
things contribute to his success in soul winning.
1.
Following the Spirit got him to the right person.
Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
Acts 8:28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
2.
Familiarity with the Scriptures gave him the right power.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him
Jesus
3.
Faithfulness to share gained the right profession.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
III.
SOME OTHER MAN, The Saviour......V 34-35
From
Isaiah 53, no doubt Phillip preached to the eunuch about:
A.
Christ's
Sufferings.... Isa 53:3-5&7
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
B. Christ's
Substitution… Isa.
53:4-6
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
C.
Christ's success.... Vs 8, 10-11
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
by
Bro. Stinnett Ballew
